Vehicular door opening warning system

ABSTRACT

A vehicular alert system includes at least one sensor disposed at a vehicle and sensing exterior of the vehicle. The at least one sensor captures sensor data. Electronic circuitry of an electronic control unit includes a processor for processing sensor data captured by the at least one sensor to detect presence of objects viewed by the at least one sensor. The vehicular alert system, responsive to determining a likelihood that the vehicle is parking, tracks a position of a detected object until the object leaves a field of sensing of the sensor. The vehicular alert system predicts a position of the object relative to the vehicle and determines the object is a hazard based on the predicted position. The vehicular alert system, responsive to determining that the detected object is a hazard, alerts an occupant of the vehicle of the detected object.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. No. 63/262,045, filed Oct. 4, 2021, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a vehicular alert system fora vehicle and, more particularly, to a vehicular alert system thatutilizes one or more sensors at a vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to use sensors to determine if it is safe to open a vehicledoor. Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.11,124,113; 9,688,199 and/or 9,068,390, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A vehicular alert system includes at least one sensor disposed at avehicle equipped with the vehicular alert system and sensing exterior ofthe vehicle. The at least one sensor capturing sensor data. The systemincludes an electronic control unit (ECU) with electronic circuitry andassociated software. The electronic circuitry of the ECU includes aprocessor for processing sensor data captured by the at least onesensor. The vehicular alert system, via processing at the ECU of sensordata captured by the at least one sensor, detects an object sensed bythe at least one sensor. The vehicular alert system, as the vehicle ismoving, determines a likelihood that the vehicle is parking. Thevehicular alert system, responsive to determining that the likelihoodthat the vehicle is parking exceeds a threshold level, and while thevehicle is moving, tracks a position of the detected object relative tothe equipped vehicle until the detected object leaves a field of sensingof the at least one sensor. The vehicular alert system, responsive tothe detected object leaving the field of sensing of the at least onesensor as the vehicle moves, predicts a position of the detected objectrelative to the vehicle after the vehicle has further moved and when thevehicle stops. The vehicular alert system, responsive to determining theequipped vehicle has stopped moving, determines that the detected objectis a hazard based on the predicted position of the detected object. Thevehicular alert system, responsive to determining that the detectedobject is a hazard, alerts an occupant of the equipped vehicle of thedetected object.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle with an alert system thatincorporates one or more sensors such as radar sensors and/or cameras;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle with an obstacle within aswing path of a door of the vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of sensors of the alert system of FIG. 1 ;and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the system of FIG. 1 .

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicular alert system and/or object detection system operates tocapture images or sensor data exterior of the vehicle and may processthe captured image data or sensor data to detect objects or hazardoussituations at or near the vehicle, such as to assist an occupant indetermining whether the detected object is a threat. The alert systemincludes a processor or image processing system that is operable toreceive image data or sensor from one or more cameras or sensors.Optionally, the vision system may provide a display, such as a rearviewdisplay or a top down or bird's eye or surround view display or thelike.

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a vehicle 10 includes an imaging system or vision system orsensing system or alert system 12 that includes at least one exteriorviewing imaging sensor or camera or radar sensor, such as a rearwardviewing imaging sensor or camera 14 a (and the system may optionallyinclude multiple exterior viewing imaging sensors or cameras, such as aforward viewing camera 14b at the front (or at the windshield) of thevehicle, and a sideward/rearward viewing camera 14 c, 14 d or othersurround cameras at respective sides of the vehicle), which capturesimages exterior of the vehicle, with the camera having a lens forfocusing images at or onto an imaging array or imaging plane or imagerof the camera (FIG. 1 ). Optionally, a forward viewing camera may bedisposed at the windshield of the vehicle and view through thewindshield and forward of the vehicle, such as for a machine visionsystem (such as for traffic sign recognition, headlamp control,pedestrian detection, collision avoidance, lane marker detection and/orthe like). The vision system or sensing system 12 may include one ormore radar sensors, such as corner radar sensors 15 a-d. The visionsystem 12 includes a control or electronic control unit (ECU) 18 havingelectronic circuitry and associated software, with the electroniccircuitry including a data processor or image processor that is operableto process image data captured by the camera or cameras, whereby the ECUmay detect or determine presence of objects or the like and/or thesystem provide displayed images at a display device 16 for viewing bythe driver of the vehicle (although shown in FIG. 1 as being part of orincorporated in or at an interior rearview mirror assembly 20 of thevehicle, the control and/or the display device may be disposed elsewhereat or in the vehicle). The data transfer or signal communication fromthe camera to the ECU may comprise any suitable data or communicationlink, such as a vehicle network bus or the like of the equipped vehicle.

Implementations herein include a system that incorporates a smart dooropen warning (SDOW) feature that alerts a driver/passenger of anequipped vehicle about hazardous conditions outside the vehicle beforeor when the user exits the vehicle. The SDOW feature, for example,prevents damage (e.g., scratches and/or dents) to the vehicle and doorand/or injury to the occupant by detecting objects in close proximity ofthe vehicle (i.e., near and within a swing path of the doors and/ortailgate/rear hatch) (FIG. 2 ).

Referring now to FIG. 3 , the system may detect when the equippedvehicle is coming to a stop (e.g., as the speed of vehicle decreases topark, such as when the vehicle decreases by a threshold amount or whenthe vehicle speed goes below a threshold value), and then begins objectdetection and road/ground surface detection to determine conditionsaround the equipped vehicle. Optionally, the system begins detectionafter determining a likelihood that the vehicle will park in the nearfuture satisfies a threshold level. Optionally, the system begins objectdetection after determining the vehicle has parked (e.g., the vehicledetermines the vehicle has been placed in the parked gear) or afterdetermining that the likelihood that an occupant of the vehicle isexiting the vehicle/opening the door (e.g., by detecting a seatbeltbeing unfastened, detecting a hand of an occupant on a door handle,etc.). The system detects hazardous conditions with a focus near thedoors of the equipped vehicle. The system may generate alerts tooccupants of the vehicle for a variety of conditions at or near the dooror doors of the vehicle, such as puddles (i.e., water on the ground),ice and/or slippery surface conditions, objects within a swing path ofthe door (e.g., posts, other vehicles, curbs, etc.) and/or unevensurface conditions (e.g., cliffs, holes, humps, etc.) at the ground ator near the door or doors of the vehicle. The system may detect theseconditions using a number of sensors, such as via using wheel slip,vehicle kinematics, radar, cameras, lidar, and other sensors (FIG. 3 ).

Referring now to FIG. 4 , the system may detect objects, obstacles, andsurface conditions at or near each door of the equipped vehicle such aswithin a swing plane of the door/hatch. The system may detect objects,such as stones, trees, pedestrians, vehicles, etc. The system may usesensors mounted at the equipped vehicle. The sensors may include radarssensors (e.g., front or rear or corner mounted based on the gearposition), a front camera module (FCM), and/or a rear backup camera todetect and track hazardous conditions. The system may use surround viewcameras and/or ultrasonic sensors to detect objects that are notdetected by radar sensors. Slippery conditions (e.g., icy conditions)may be detected based on wheel slip using vehicle kinematics and vehiclecontroller area network (CAN) signals, such as determined when or as thevehicle is slowing to a stop to park. Rain sensors may advise theoccupant about precipitation and/or severe weather outside the vehicle.

Optionally, the system may continue to track the location of the objectsafter initial detection of the object (e.g., after detecting the objectas the vehicle is slowing to park). In some cases, the system predictsthe location of a tracked object when the object enter the blind zone ofthe sensors (e.g., immediately next of the vehicle) and thus disappearsfrom a field of view of the sensors. The system may predict the path ofthe object using, for example, vehicle kinematics and trajectory. Forexample, a corner radar sensor may approach an obstacle as the vehicleslows to park. As the vehicle continues moving forward, the obstaclemoves out of the field of sensing of the radar sensing. Despite theobstacle no longer being in the field of sensing of the radar sensor (orany other sensor of the vehicle), the system may predict or estimate(e.g., via vehicle kinematics) the position of the obstacle anddetermines, based on the predicted position, whether the obstacle is ahazard prior to an occupant opening a door of the vehicle. Thus, even ifthe vehicle lacks a sensor with a field of sensing proximate each doorof the vehicle, the system may predict/estimate the locations ofobstacles to provide the door open warning(s).

The system may provide a variety of different alerts to occupants of thevehicle based on detected objects and conditions. For example, thesystem provides an audible alert (e.g., an automated voice alert oraudible tone or alarm) announcing presence of the detected objectsand/or conditions. The audible alert may indicate a direction orposition of the detected object/condition (e.g., which occupant and/ordoor is at risk). The alert may include image data (e.g., captured byone or more cameras of the vehicle) displayed (as a still image or asvideo images) on a display within the vehicle. The system may displaytext describing or indicating the detected objects/conditions. The alertmay include one or more haptic alerts using, for example, seats, seatmats, door handles, and/or the steering wheel.

In some examples, the system determines if an imminent collision with adetected object is likely (i.e., greater than a threshold likeliness).When an imminent collision is detected (i.e., with a door of the vehicleor with an occupant of the vehicle after exiting the vehicle), thesystem may apply a threshold for maximum door opening angle (e.g., basedon the detected objects size, trajectory, speed, etc.) in addition to analert. For example, the system may limit how far the door can be openedin order to avoid or mitigate any potential collision. Optionally, thesystem may restrict from opening the door entirely. The system mayrestrict the door from opening until an occupant has acknowledged one ormore warnings of the system. The system may include door opening warningaspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 11,124,113; 9,688,199 and/or9,068,390, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/815,675, filedJul. 28, 2022 (Attorney Docket MAG04 P4570), which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor.Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes theimaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processingcircuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a cameramodule, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 10,099,614 and/or 10,071,687, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The system includes an image processor operable to process image datacaptured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects orother vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one ormore of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise animage processing chip selected from the EYEQ family of image processingchips available from Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. of Jerusalem,Israel, and may include object detection software (such as the typesdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755; 7,720,580 and/or 7,038,577, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties), andmay analyze image data to detect vehicles and/or other objects.Responsive to such image processing, and when an object or other vehicleis detected, the system may generate an alert to the driver of thevehicle and/or may generate an overlay at the displayed image tohighlight or enhance display of the detected object or vehicle, in orderto enhance the driver's awareness of the detected object or vehicle orhazardous condition during a driving maneuver of the equipped vehicle.

The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imagingsensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ultrasonic sensors or thelike. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image data for imageprocessing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensing device, suchas, for example, a two dimensional array of a plurality of photosensorelements arranged in at least 640 columns and 480 rows (at least a640×480 imaging array, such as a megapixel imaging array or the like),with a respective lens focusing images onto respective portions of thearray. The photosensor array may comprise a plurality of photosensorelements arranged in a photosensor array having rows and columns. Theimaging array may comprise a CMOS imaging array having at least 300,000photosensor elements or pixels, preferably at least 500,000 photosensorelements or pixels and more preferably at least 1 million photosensorelements or pixels. The imaging array may capture color image data, suchas via spectral filtering at the array, such as via an RGB (red, greenand blue) filter or via a red/red complement filter or such as via anRCC (red, clear, clear) filter or the like. The logic and controlcircuit of the imaging sensor may function in any known manner, and theimage processing and algorithmic processing may comprise any suitablemeans for processing the images and/or image data.

For example, the vision system and/or processing and/or camera and/orcircuitry may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,233,641;9,146,898; 9,174,574; 9,090,234; 9,077,098; 8,818,042; 8,886,401;9,077,962; 9,068,390; 9,140,789; 9,092,986; 9,205,776; 8,917,169;8,694,224; 7,005,974; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,949,331;6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202;6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452;6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; 7,859,565; 5,550,677; 5,670,935;6,636,258; 7,145,519; 7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229;7,301,466; 7,592,928; 7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 6,882,287;5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. Publication Nos.US-2014-0340510; US-2014-0313339; US-2014-0347486; US-2014-0320658;US-2014-0336876; US-2014-0307095; US-2014-0327774; US-2014-0327772;US-2014-0320636; US-2014-0293057; US-2014-0309884; US-2014-0226012;US-2014-0293042; US-2014-0218535; US-2014-0218535; US-2014-0247354;US-2014-0247355; US-2014-0247352; US-2014-0232869; US-2014-0211009;US-2014-0160276; US-2014-0168437; US-2014-0168415; US-2014-0160291;US-2014-0152825; US-2014-0139676; US-2014-0138140; US-2014-0104426;US-2014-0098229; US-2014-0085472; US-2014-0067206; US-2014-0049646;US-2014-0052340; US-2014-0025240; US-2014-0028852; US-2014-005907;US-2013-0314503; US-2013-0298866; US-2013-0222593; US-2013-0300869;US-2013-0278769; US-2013-0258077; US-2013-0258077; US-2013-0242099;US-2013-0215271; US-2013-0141578 and/or US-2013-0002873, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The systemmay communicate with other communication systems via any suitable means,such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos.10,071,687; 9,900,490; 9,126,525 and/or 9,036,026, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments canbe carried out without departing from the principles of the invention,which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appendedclaims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent lawincluding the doctrine of equivalents.

1. A vehicular alert system, the vehicular alert system comprising: atleast one sensor disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular alertsystem and sensing exterior of the vehicle, the at least one sensorcapturing sensor data; an electronic control unit (ECU) comprisingelectronic circuitry and associated software; wherein the electroniccircuitry of the ECU comprises a processor for processing sensor datacaptured by the at least one sensor; wherein the vehicular alert system,via processing at the ECU of sensor data captured by the at least onesensor, detects an object sensed by the at least one sensor; wherein thevehicular alert system, as the vehicle is moving, determines alikelihood that the vehicle is parking; wherein the vehicular alertsystem, responsive to determining that the likelihood that the vehicleis parking exceeds a threshold level, and while the vehicle is moving,tracks a position of the detected object relative to the equippedvehicle until the detected object leaves a field of sensing of the atleast one sensor; wherein the vehicular alert system, responsive to thedetected object leaving the field of sensing of the at least one sensoras the vehicle moves, predicts a position of the detected objectrelative to the vehicle after the vehicle has further moved and when thevehicle stops; wherein the vehicular alert system, responsive todetermining the equipped vehicle has stopped moving, determines that thedetected object is a hazard based on the predicted position of thedetected object; and wherein the vehicular alert system, responsive todetermining that the detected object is a hazard, alerts an occupant ofthe equipped vehicle of the detected object.
 2. The vehicular alertsystem of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at leastone selected from the group consisting of (i) a front camera module,(ii) a radar sensor, (iii) a surround camera and (iv) an ultrasonicsensor.
 3. The vehicular alert system of claim 1, wherein the at leastone sensor comprises a plurality of different types of sensors.
 4. Thevehicular alert system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular alert systemdetermines that the likelihood that the vehicle is parking exceeds thethreshold level based at least in part on a speed of the vehicledecreasing to a threshold speed.
 5. The vehicular alert system of claim1, wherein the vehicular alert system predicts the position of thedetected object based on vehicle kinematics.
 6. The vehicular alertsystem of claim 1, wherein the vehicular alert system, responsive toprocessing by the processor of sensor data captured by the at least onesensor, determines a hazardous condition of a ground surface exterior ofthe vehicle.
 7. The vehicular alert system of claim 6, wherein thehazardous condition comprises a slippery condition.
 8. The vehicularalert system of claim 6, wherein the vehicular alert system determinesthe hazardous condition based on an amount of wheel slip by the equippedvehicle.
 9. The vehicular alert system of claim 1, wherein the alertcomprises an audible alert.
 10. The vehicular alert system of claim 1,wherein the alert comprises images displayed on a display devicedisposed within the equipped vehicle derived from, the displayed imagesderived from image data captured by the at least one sensor.
 11. Thevehicular alert system of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises arepresentation of the predicted position of the detected object.
 12. Thevehicular alert system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular alert system,responsive to determining the equipped vehicle has stopped moving,limits opening of a door based on the predicted position of the detectedobject.
 13. A vehicular alert system, the vehicular alert systemcomprising: at least one sensor disposed at a vehicle equipped with thevehicular alert system and sensing exterior of the vehicle, the at leastone sensor capturing sensor data; an electronic control unit (ECU)comprising electronic circuitry and associated software; wherein theelectronic circuitry of the ECU comprises a processor for processingsensor data captured by the at least one sensor; wherein the vehicularalert system, via processing at the ECU of sensor data captured by theat least one sensor, detects an object sensed by the at least onesensor; wherein the vehicular alert system, while the vehicle is moving,tracks a position of the detected object relative to the equippedvehicle until the detected object leaves a field of sensing of the atleast one sensor; wherein the vehicular alert system, responsive to thedetected object leaving the field of sensing of the at least one sensoras the vehicle moves, predicts a position of the detected objectrelative to the vehicle after the vehicle has further moved and when thevehicle stops; wherein the vehicular alert system determines that thedetected object is a hazard based on the predicted position of thedetected object; wherein the vehicular alert system, after the vehiclehas stopped, determines a likelihood that an occupant is opening a doorof the vehicle; and wherein the vehicular alert system, responsive todetermining that the likelihood that the occupant is opening the door ofthe vehicle, alerts an occupant of the equipped vehicle of the detectedobject.
 14. The vehicular alert system of claim 13, wherein the at leastone sensor comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of(i) a front camera module, (ii) a radar sensor, (iii) a surround cameraand (iv) an ultrasonic sensor.
 15. The vehicular alert system of claim13, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of differenttypes of sensors.
 16. The vehicular alert system of claim 13, whereinthe vehicular alert system predicts the position of the detected objectbased on vehicle kinematics.
 17. The vehicular alert system of claim 13,wherein the alert comprises a representation of the predicted positionof the detected object.
 18. A vehicular alert system, the vehicularalert system comprising: at least one sensor disposed at a vehicleequipped with the vehicular alert system and sensing exterior of thevehicle, the at least one sensor capturing sensor data; an electroniccontrol unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associatedsoftware; wherein the electronic circuitry of the ECU comprises aprocessor for processing sensor data captured by the at least onesensor; wherein the vehicular alert system, via processing at the ECU ofsensor data captured by the at least one sensor, detects an objectsensed by the at least one sensor; wherein the vehicular alert system,as the vehicle is moving, determines a likelihood that the vehicle isparking based at least partially on a speed of the vehicle; wherein thevehicular alert system, responsive to determining that the likelihoodthat the vehicle is parking exceeds a threshold level, and while thevehicle is moving, tracks a position of the detected object relative tothe equipped vehicle until the detected object leaves a field of sensingof the at least one sensor; wherein the vehicular alert system,responsive to the detected object leaving the field of sensing of the atleast one sensor as the vehicle moves, predicts a position of thedetected object relative to the vehicle after the vehicle has furthermoved and when the vehicle stops based at least in part on vehiclekinematics; wherein the vehicular alert system, responsive todetermining the equipped vehicle has stopped moving, determines that thedetected object is a hazard based on the predicted position of thedetected object; and wherein the vehicular alert system, responsive todetermining that the detected object is a hazard, alerts an occupant ofthe equipped vehicle of the detected object.
 19. The vehicular alertsystem of claim 18, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at leastone selected from the group consisting of (i) a front camera module,(ii) a radar sensor, (iii) a surround camera and (iv) an ultrasonicsensor.
 20. The vehicular alert system of claim 18, wherein the at leastone sensor comprises a plurality of different types of sensors.